After a car accident, your nerves will be frazzled, but you will need to have your wits about you to ensure that the process proceeds in the best manner. You can take a couple of minutes to regain your composure, but you will need to remember to do the following after you have been injured in a car accident:
Make Sure that Everyone Is Safe
After a car accident, the vehicle will be in the road. You will need to move it to the side so that it cannot sustain additional damage. If you cannot move the car, you and your passengers must move to the side of the road. Turn your hazard lights on so that others will know that an accident has just occurred. While you wait for a tow truck, check yourself and your passengers for injuries.
Although it may appear that you do not have any injuries, you must be examined by medical professionals to be certain. After an accident, the adrenaline rush keeps you from feeling pain, so you will not be immediately aware of your injuries. Medical personnel will write reports detailing your injuries that your personal injury attorney will need.
Call 9-1-1 for an ambulance and the police because your attorney is also going to need a police report. Even if you do not believe you are hurt and would like to go home, you must not leave the scene of an accident. You may be charged with a hit-and-run if you do this, so remain at the scene.
Take Pictures of the Scene
Take pictures and video of the scene of the accident with your smartphone. Take pictures of the entire vehicle and close-up photographs of the damages from as many different angles as possible. Make sure to do this for all vehicles involved.
The entire scene should be included in any pictures or videos. You must document the direction the vehicles were facing because the adjuster needs this information to re-create the accident. If you have an app for drawing accident scenes, open it and dictate the details of the accident.
Exchange Information with the Other Driver
You will need to exchange personal information with the other driver, such as name, address, phone number, insurance, the car’s make and model, license plate numbers and driver’s license numbers. Also, take the witnesses’ contact information.
Do Not Take the Blame
You may believe that you were at fault, but it will be up to the professionals to determine who and what the cause of the collision was. Therefore, exercise your right to remain silent. The adjuster will use your photographs and the police report to determine fault.
If the other driver wants to negotiate your claim with you, refrain from doing so. If you negotiate your claim on your own with another third party, your insurance company will not be obligated to assist you.
Call Your Insurance Company
Rather than negotiate with the other driver, contact your insurance company. If you fail to do this, the insurance company is no longer obligated to assist you, but more unpleasant events could occur. Without representation from an insurance company, you may be held liable for damages that came from the car collision.
Begin a Claim
You do not need to know who will be held responsible for the collision to begin the claims process. You can decide whether to file it with your own insurance company or the other driver’s insurance company. If you do not have the police report, you may still file a claim. Your insurance agent only needs a little information to start the process plus the pictures you took at the scene. While it is possible to file a claim on your own, if you experienced injuries you may want to consider seeking legal counsel. A car accident lawyer will be able offer guidance in building your claim and help you negotiate with the insurance company so you can recover the full damages you are entitled to. This could include medical expenses, lost wages and damages for pain and suffering you have experienced.
No one is ever expecting to be in a car accident but knowing what steps to take if one occurs can protect you and your loved ones.